Soon after the onset of World War II, the Cessna Aircraft Company of Wichita, Kansas, a commercial, light
aeroplane manufacturer, converted their five-seat, civil aircraft into a military transport and trainer.
It was designated the T-50 -- the RCAF called it the Crane -- and it was used as a trainer in the Service
Flying Training Schools (SFTS) of the BCATP. More than 5400 T-50s were constructed for the RCAF and the US
military.
A total of 1190 Crane 1's and 1A's were constructed for training in the BCATP, in addition to other roles such
as communication liaison and light personnel transport.
The CWH Museum's Crane 1A was constructed in 1942 and flew with 4 and 11 SFTS's in Saskatoon and Yorkton,
Saskatchewan. Post-war, it was flown by various companies and by private owners in Quebec and Ontario.
The Museum obtained the Crane in 1976 and it spent almost ten years in restoration.
